Camp Takota: Three Years Later
by LittleTheorist
Summary: Three years have passed since the end of the first film. Now, Allison goes back to Takota to work side by side with someone unexpected. This new girl has quite the charm, but also has a few secrets. Could they be bad enough to enable Jared to shut down the camp for good? Will the past come throwing punches? Who will win the bet?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hello everyone! Here is my contribution to the Trinity fandom. I would like to take the space here to thank my beta reader from the Tumblr realm awkward-like-grace. I will also be posting this to my Tumblr at werewolf13bites under the tags of #Camp Takota #Camp Takota fanfiction #fanfic #fanfiction #allison henry/OFC if you wanted to follow it there! **

**A few weeks before summer - Chicago, IL**

Allison was just leaving The Gage when she checked her phone. Maxine had called and left a message. Considering it had been almost a year and a half since they really spoke last from Allison spending a majority of her time in culinary school and Maxine was busy with the camp. Elise had been busy with her book tour and helping Eli out with the farm, but would call from time to time.

_"__Hey Al, it's Maxine, which you should know, unless you deleted my number, which would make you a total ass. Anyway, call me back; I've got some great news!"_

Allison scoffed with a smile on her face. Some people never truly change, and Maxine was definitely evidence of that. Allison went to her contacts list and called Maxine.

"HEY, Allison. Nice to see you realize the phone works both ways," Maxine answered in a wry tone.

"Hey Max, sorry, I was busy at work. You see, it's frowned upon when the sous chef decides to take a call during the lunch rush," Allison replied sarcastically.

"All right, well what are your plans during the summer? Do you have any more classes you have to take or have you finally graduated? Can you please come back and work this summer?"

"Nah, I've only got one semester left and this semester I took off to intern at this place called The Gage. Any luck with finding a replacement in the kitchen?" Allison leisurely paced in front of the restaurant. She wasn't going to lie, she was feeling a little homesick. She liked the city just fine, and it had a pretty nice selection of ladies for dates, but Allison was sorely missing her friends and trees. Hell, even a patch of poison ivy would have been a nice sight.

"Oh yeah, the first summer after you were gone was _rough_. I had to fire him, but I was able to find someone who is top notch. They'll also be working in the kitchen this summer. Is that okay?"

"That's perfectly fine. As long as it's cool with them."

"Oh, trust me Al, you will be a godsend. Charlie likes to get all fancy with cooking, too."

Allison grinned, "Have you talked to Elise at all?"

"She's moved in with Eli, she visits all the time now that her tour is over, unlike _someone_."

"Oh, come on! I would have if I could have, you know that!"

"Yeah, I know. I'm just glad we can get the gang back together is all. Penny signed up to come back this summer too, so we can definitely count on Elise coming to be a counselor."

"How is our resident author anyway?"

"She's good. She's dyed her hair brown, I think it's because she thinks it will summon you. We both miss you though, so you better start packing and shit when you get home."

"Well, bad luck on her part; I dyed my hair blonde earlier this year. My bag will be ready to go by tomorrow."

"Okay, I'll be sure to keep an eye out for you next week. Unless I don't recognize you."

Allison laughed and hit 'end call' before she slipped her phone in her pocket. She pulled out her car keys and kept walking to the end of the lot where she parked.

**Camp Takota - Michiana, Michigan**

Maxine hung up the phone and picked it back up to dial Elise.

"Hello?" a male answered.

"Hey Eli, where's Elise?" Maxine asked.

"Right here! I'm right here," the phone shuffled on the other line, "Hey Maxine, what's up?"

"Allison is coming to work this summer," Maxine grinned.

"Oh man, she is going to be so unprepared when Charlie gets there," Elise fought back giggles.

"Oh please, I'm sure Charlie won't know what to do or expect either," Maxine laughed. Her eyes brightened, "Wanna make a bet?"

There was a pause at the other end, "Absolutely, ten bucks and a bottle of vodka: the kitchen will close before the end of the summer."

"Yeah, how about fifteen bucks and a bottle of scotch that it won't even happen in the kitchen. It'll be at the lake."

"Allison hates swimming though," Elise shook her head, "Whatever, it's a deal."

"You better be willing to pay up when it happens."

"We have to let it happen on its own. Don't go sending Allison to the lake or any signs of her to go to the lake. Got it?

"What? I can't play a little matchmaker?" Maxine pouted, "All right, fine. It'll be a fair bet."

"Good because I'm going to win anyway," Elise said, "I'll see you guys next week."

Maxine pursed her lips and hung up the phone before picking it back up, "She didn't say anything about talking to Charlie."

**One week later**

"Allison!" Maxine yelled when she saw Allison loaded with bags from her car.

"Max!," Allison said and dropped her bags before she was pulled into a hug.

"I see you decided to come in uniform," Maxine regarded the Takota staff tee with the sleeves cut off and the green bandana wrapped around Allison's head, "Nice color, it looks good on you."

"Thanks! Well, I didn't want the new guy to feel too out of place. You said his name was Charlie, right?" Allison crossed her arms.

_Oh boy._ "Yeah, Charlie." Maxine tried hard not to bust out with laughter and went so far as to bite her lip to keep from it.

"Charlie's here?" Elise asked excitedly as she ran up to Maxine.

"Whoa, you seem more excited to see him than me!" Allison placed her hand over her heart with an expression of mock hurt.

Elise's mouth fell open and she looked to Maxine, who was red in the face and turned away from her friends.

"Of course I'm excited to see you," Elise said, bringing her hand up and punching Allison lightly in the arm before hugging her.

Allison's expression changed to one of puzzlement and she pushed Elise away, "Wait a minute, what's wrong? Why are you guys being weird?"

The sound of a motorcycle approaching set Maxine off and she began to laugh uncontrollably: large, bellyaching laughter that caused her to clutch her stomach and bend over.

"We're always weird," Elise got out before joining in the laughter.

Allison's eyebrows scrunched down and her mouth was pursed in a small 'o' at her friends' behavior. Before she could ask what was going on, the motorcycle pulled up over by Allison's car and the owner gunned the engine before they turned it off, which brought Allison to focus on them. Swinging a leg over the back to dismount, Allison cocked her head to the side before she turned to her friends who leaned on each other for support as they tried to reel back their laughter.

"Am I to guess that this is Charlie?" Allison asked, jabbing a thumb over her shoulder.

Getting a fresh batch of hilarity from the two girls, Allison turned to the apparently hilarious Charlie.

"Hi, I'm Allison, are you this Charlie that these two can't seem to get over?" Allison held a hand out, "I'm going to guess you're either a super-hilarious guy or a super-awesome guy, so which is it?"

With one hand to grab Allison's to shake, the other hand went for the helmet and was removed to show reddish-chestnut hair, spiky and everywhere from the helmet on the left side, but the right side was completely shaven up to eye level. Bright blue/grey eyes set over an average nose wrinkled up because of a huge half-grin that quirked up a full pair of lips. Oh, and Charlie was a _girl_.

"Oh," was all that Allison got out. Another round of laughter from her friends behind her was the response.

"Guys, come on, leave her be, it wasn't her fault," Charlie said as she tucked her helmet under her arm, "It's not like you actually introduced me by my full name."

Her voice was low for a girl, but Allison could only find 'sultry' to be more fitting.

"Which is?" Allison asked, still shaking her hand.

"Charlotte. I like Charlie though," she smiled again and released Allison's hand. Allison noticed the hoop in her right nostril and the hoop in the left side of her lip.

"Yeah, we all like Charlie," Maxine recovered enough to walk over and sling an arm around Charlie's shoulders, "She's really more like our own little camp witch, so she probably put a spell on us to like her."

Charlie's lips flattened as she gave Maxine a withered look, "Really, Max? You have to say that when I meet one of your old friends?"

"You're a witch?" Allison was incredulous.

"Wiccan," Charlie's shoulders shrugged up, "Maxine introduced me to Sally last year with that line and the woman went from her usual skin tone to me in about three seconds."

"I really should've used the vampire line, huh?" Maxine ruffled Charlie's hair, "I swear, this girl does not see the sun enough. She's paler than you are Al."

Charlie took the sleeve of Maxine's shirt in her thumb and forefinger to pull her arm from her shoulders, "I don't do sunlight, and the sunlight don't do me."

Charlie opened her arms to receive the hug from Elise, "Hey Elise. How excited is Penny? How's Eli?"

"Penny is always excited about camp and Eli is good," Elise nodded, "Well, he's better after you guys set up your little contract."

Charlie grimaced, "Yeah, dude, I'm really sorry about that. I seriously didn't think he'd come that close to the camp side. But it was bound to happen."

Allison rose an eyebrow, "What happened?"

Charlie pursed her lips and turned her head away, the back of her neck was bright red.

"Charlie likes to swim in the lake on some nights," Maxine announced proudly.

Allison's eyes widened at Charlie, "What? Isn't that a little dangerous?"

"Max has her fiber nuts and Elise has her journal," Charlie explained, "and I…swim when there's enough moonlight. I scared Eli pretty badly one night though, so we made a deal that I would have the lake any night that the moon is bright enough, as well as every full moon."

There was a pause until Charlie turned to Maxine, "Did my bags ship in okay?"

"Yeah, I've already got them in your bunk," Maxine said, "Come on, let's get Allison situated and we can chill a bit for the rest of the day."

"Don't we need to set up the mess hall?" Allison picked up her bags, trying extremely hard not to look at Charlie's body. The fact that she totally missed the front of the girl when she had the helmet on was now even more distracting. If Allison were to guess by sight alone, she would say that the girl was a solid B-cup. Allison shook her head to keep her thoughts from going any further.

"We can do that tomorrow, it'll take less time with two people anyway," Maxine said over her shoulder.

"Here," Charlie held a hand out and Allison hesitated before she handed Charlie a bag, "I know you're probably pretty strong for your size, but it's a pretty long walk."

"Thanks," Allison shifted the other bag on her shoulder as they walked behind Max and Elise, "So, I take it you like it here?"

"It's definitely a place I feel home at," Charlie smiled, "It really helps me out spiritually and all that jazz."

"How did you and Max meet?"

"Uh, I was kind of sent in her direction. I, um, came here the first summer and Maxine liked me enough to have me come back."

Allison's eyebrows creased together at Charlie's answer, but she left it alone for the time being.

"I've heard quite a bit about you," Charlie said, and then with a chuckle added, "You left some really big shoes to fill."

Allison grinned, "Yeah, I kinda went a little overboard during my time here. But it seems like you were able to fill them just fine."

Charlie laughed, "Maybe with a few tater tots stuffed in the toes."

"Hey guys, you going to keep up or are you going to go make out?" Maxine yelled at them from farther along the trail, "'Coz we are not going to wait on you if you are going to do the second."

"We're coming," Charlie yelled back. She paused for a moment before she looked at Allison and waggled her eyebrows.

"Oh my god," Maxine laughed, "You did _not_ just do that! Allison, I would watch out for her, she bites."

Allison, although taken aback, laughed, "Wow…looks like I've got competition for dirty talking."

"Yeah you do, considering I didn't even really say anything," Charlie raised her eyebrows and lightly jogged up the trail. Allison followed suit and they both caught up with Max and Elise.

Maxine and Elise made eye contact. Elise nodded slowly and mouthed, _"Yeah. You're going down."_

Maxine only pursed her lips, shaking her head knowingly. She could see Charlie was super attracted to Allison, and Allison wasn't far off the more she got to know Charlie. Plus, she knew Charlie was a romantic poet type. Charlie would try the lake before anything else. All Allison needed to do was to not try anything first.

Elise was confident Allison would make the first move, but she knew if Allison were to make the move, it would definitely be in the kitchen. Allison never really liked water or swimming for that matter. Plus, Charlie was the type of person to wait, she would wait for Allison to make the first move. At least, Elise knew that Charlie never liked to go first when they played chess.

Elise pursed her lips. Maybe she should have been more specific in her bet.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** Thanks to my beta Tumblr-ette awkward-like-grace for looking over this. As far as uploading goes, if something were to change in this story I will be sure to make note of it in the next chapter I upload. As always enjoy!

**Chapter 2**

When they got to the counselor's cabin and Allison put her bags in her room, the four got together in the sitting room and Maxine poured them each a glass of scotch.

"So, Allison here has been working at a pub as a chef in Chicago, what do you do on Takota's off time, Charles?" Maxine asked as she took a seat on the couch next to Elise.

Charlie looked over at Maxine from where she sat on the floor in front of the couch, "You know what I do Max," Charlie looked at Allison, "What pub?"

"This place called The Gage. It's more of an internship, but they already told me I've got a job when I get my certification," Allison took her glass from the coffee table and sat down in an armchair, "What _do_ you do?"

"I'm in college. Graduate level; I'm working toward a doctorate in Social Psychology, along with minoring in Sex & Gender Studies," Charlie swung her knee back and forth.

"What do you want to do after that?" Allison asked. She definitely didn't expect the girl in front of her to be in that area. The girl looked more like a Liberal Arts student who was in a punk band part-time. When they first reached the cabin, Charlie had removed her worn leather jacket to reveal a very distressed t-shirt that fit with her ripped cargo pants and combat boots.

"I'd like to teach, and do a little post-doctorate research," Charlie tossed back the rest of her scotch and stood up, "Have you got any of my beer, Max?"

"Hon, I don't think you should really mix," Maxine pointed to her fridge anyway.

"Thanks Mom, but I'm not that much of a lightweight," Charlie smiled her little half grin and went for the fridge, "I only had a small bit of scotch. It's not like I had four shots of tequila and then went for the Jäeger after. I learned my lesson from that."

"Charlie here got a little too drunk one night when we got together," Maxine explained, "She even got up on stage to sing karaoke!"

"We also got video of it," Elise said, immediately scrolling through the photos on her phone.

Charlie cracked open a Yeungleng, "Guys, no! She doesn't need to see that."

"Uh, yeah, I think I kind of do," Allison made her way over to the couch and settled between Maxine and Elise. Elise handed Allison the phone as they all three huddled over it.

When the camera wasn't shaking so much and the yells and hoots from Max and Elise in the video weren't so prominent, Charlie could be sure enough be seen on the stage singing along to "You Wanted More" by Tonic.

"Oh my god," Allison laughed, "Is this serious?"

Charlie flicked her head to the side to move her hair out of her face, "I was having a rough time at that point. These two and I had just met and they wanted to know more about where I came from."

"This was over in Minnesota," Elise pointed at the video, "Charlie lives with her aunt while she's going to college."

"The problem was I had also just gotten dumped by the girl who was the reason I had to go live with my aunt," Charlie, instantly sullen, plopped in Allison's vacated chair facing the trio.

"You drove that bike all the way here from Minnesota?" Allison asked, "Isn't that a long trip?"

"I left yesterday and made a stop in Wisconsin on my way over," Charlie drank from her beer, "It is a long trip, but being on the bike isn't that bad."

"She loves that thing, she's even named it," Maxine said.

"Really?" Allison asked.

"It's red and black, and it's a Harley," Charlie gestured with her hands as she spoke, "I named her Quinn."

"Like the villain in Batman?" Allison asked, and Charlie nodded with an amused grin, "Nice!"

"God, you both are nerds," Maxine closed her eyes and took another drink.

Charlie made eye contact with Allison and looked down with a shy grin.

Allison smiled, "So, what's with the whole outfit you've got. Are you in a band?"

Charlie shook her head, "Nah, I just really like the character Lisbeth Salander. Have you ever read those books?"

Allison tilted her head, "No, I haven't."

"Charlie here is also our chick with the dragon tat," Maxine said, "You wanna show her?"

Allison looked from Max to Charlie, and Charlie sighed, "Yeah, no. I may be drinking tonight, but I'm not drunk."

"Aw come on!" Elise jested, "You only needed two shots of tequila to bring up doing karaoke. A fifth of scotch and half of a beer should be more than enough!"

Charlie took another drink of her beer and rolled the bottle between her hands; she set the bottle on the table and held up her hands in surrender, "All right, fine!"

Charlie stood up from the chair and turned around. Elise and Maxine were both staring at Allison, while Allison looked like a deer caught in headlights as Charlie lifted her shirt over her shoulders.

Allison's eyes locked on the top of Charlie's left shoulder and wound down to about her mid-back as they followed the black dragon tattoo. Allison also tried hard to concentrate more on the tattoo and not the lack of a bra.

"I went with the American version," Charlie pulled her shirt back down and sat back in the chair, "I like the Swedish version, but it took up the entire back and then some, and I prefer to have a little room on my canvas."

Allison was silent.

Charlie noticed and looked toward her right as the awkward silence filled the room.

"It looks great," Allison finally got out, "Is that your only one?"

Max and Elise leaned back into the couch as if they tried to disappear into it.

"Yeah," Charlie nodded and took another swig of her beer, "But another time perhaps. Riding a bike is all nice and fun, but it did wear me out quite a bit. I'm going to head off for bed."

"What? Already? It's barely ten o'clock!" Maxine stood up, "The night is young!"

"You guys are more than welcome to stay awake, just as long as you don't try pulling any pranks on me," Charlie sternly pointed at Elise. "I'm going to get some sleep tonight and then hit the mess hall early tomorrow to start set up."

"We've got three days before drop off day though!" Elise said.

"Penny will be here in two," Charlie shot back.

Elise nodded, "Killjoy."

Charlie bowed at the name, "I like my sleep. I will see you guys in the morning."

With that, Charlie chugged the remainder of her beer before she went to her room and shut the door.

"Okay, so what do you guys say? We wait until she's fully asleep and try the whipped cream and feather trick?" Maxine whispered.

"Totally," Elise gave Maxine a drunken high-five.

"Guys," Allison whined, "She just said she didn't want to be pranked."

"Come on Allison, you were the one who had the idea to switch out the toothpaste for Vagisil when we were younger," Elise ran her hand through her brown curls.

"Did I ever tell you that you pull off the brunette look quite well?" Allison asked and patted Elise on the head.

"You definitely look like you should've been born blonde," Elise crooked an arm around Allison's neck and hugged her, "Now we just need Max to-."

"Hooooo, no," Maxine waved her finger, "You are _never_ going to make me dye my hair."

"Yeah," Allison detangled herself from Elise's hug, "You look great as a redhead. Anything else and it would be weird."

"So Allison, what do you think of Charlie?" Elise asked as she reached for another refill of scotch.

"She seems pretty chill, I think we'll be a good team in the kitchen," Allison nodded.

"Really? In the kitchen?" Elise asked, looking at Maxine with victory in her eyes.

"Yeah," Allison answered with a confused expression, "Where else would I be working with her?"

Maxine signaled to Elise to cut it out, she was going to give it away that there was a bet, "Archery!" Maxine said, "You guys will be co-teaching the archery class."

"Okay," Allison shrugged, "What else does she teach here?"

"We started a fencing class last year thanks to her," Maxine poured herself another scotch, "Who knew that she would be so good at swordplay."

Elise started to laugh, "Yeah, who knew?"

"So, she doesn't do dudes at all?" Allison asked.

"Nope, she said earlier that she had an ex-girlfriend!" Maxine lightly slapped Allison's arm.

"No, I know, I just didn't want to assume," Allison waved her hands.

"The poor thing, she was kicked out of her parent's house because of a girl, and when they finally made the big move to be closer to her aunt, the girl dumped her because Charlie didn't want to commit just yet. Charlie wanted to work out a few things and get settled with them living together before doing anything, but her ex wanted to get married there and then," Maxine's blue eyes darkened, "Charlie is such a sweet girl, but she has been lonely. She adopted a cat last summer."

"What?" Elise asked, "Seriously? I thought she was all about living the single life?"

"Oh, don't get me wrong, she loved being single," Maxine waved her hand and shook her head, "But after a while she started re-evaluating things and she's started dating again, but no one has really caught her attention long enough."

"What about her ex?" Allison queried.

Maxine shook her head slowly, "Charlie isn't the type to dwell on the past. She's tried contacting her ex plenty of times, but she never answered. Charlie is ready to move on, but she wants something that lasts. Not a fling, you know?"

Elise and Allison both nodded.

Allison drank the rest of her scotch and stood up to have the room spin. After it stopped, she went to the sink and rinsed out her glass.

"Hey, I think I'm going to hit the sack too," Allison rubbed her eyes and yawned, "I don't want Charlie to set up on her own."

Maxine pouted, but then relented, "Okay, I guess we all should get some sleep."

When they both looked at Elise, she was already snoring with her head lying on the back of the couch. Maxine looked at Allison and indicated that she would take care of Elise. Allison nodded her thanks and went to her room as Maxine carefully set Elise to where she laid down on the couch and pulled a blanket over her. Before heading off to bed herself, Maxine went in the kitchen, pulled a plastic garbage bag out from beneath the sink, and placed it under Elise. Maxine was taking no chances of having to clean piss out of her couch the next morning.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** This is a shorter chapter, but I had to end it otherwise it would have been way too long. Chapter four should be up soon as well! As always enjoy and many thanks to my beta awkward-like-grace from the Tumblr realm. If you are a Trinity fan and are on Tumblr, check her out. She's a cool person.

**Chapter 3**

A swirl of images crowded Charlie's sleep-muddled mind as she tossed on the bed. Jade eyes, olive skin, and long brown curls of hair that tickled her face as the other woman lowered her lips to Charlie's.

Then everything stopped to show a gold ring with diamonds encompassing it. A silvery voice that had a shade of honeyed tone asked from nowhere, "So, what's your answer?"

Charlie woke up with a gasp as the trumpet called out right by her bedside. Maxine stopped the recording on her phone and set her hands on her hips.

"Max, how are you able to function this early?" Charlie yawned out as she saw the clock read 7 a.m.

"Who were you dreaming about?" Maxine's tone was stern.

"What? Why?" Charlie's eyes widened.

"I heard you say her name in your sleep, Charles," Maxine sighed and sat down on the edge of Charlie's bed, "Did she show up in your dream?"

Charlie scratched her head and ran her fingers through her hair to get the tangles out. She succeeded, but ended up making her hair stand on end due to her serious bedhead.

"Kinda. It was more flickers than fully-formed details."

Maxine nodded and had a frown on her face.

"Max, I'm over her, I promise," Charlie brought her knees up to set her chin on them, "Besides, Allison is pretty nice on the eyes."

Maxine arched an eyebrow up, "I highly doubt you only noticed her eyes. At least I would hope so," she looked both confused and concerned, "What does it say about me if I noticed more than her eyes?"

Charlie chuckled into her knees, "That you have eyes yourself."

Max smiled and patted Charlie's arm, "You best be getting used to the 7 a.m. call, I'm not letting you sleep in."

Charlie groaned, but pulled the blankets back and swung her legs out from the bed. Maxine stood up and went to leave, but stopped at the door and gestured at Charlie's hair.

"Also, do something with the nest on your head. We don't want to scare off Chet when he gets here now, do we?"

"Ha ha, you're hilarious, Max," Charlie threw a pillow at Max, who was already out of her room and she laughed when the pillow plopped in the doorway.

Allison's head poked into Charlie's room as the pillow landed in front of her, "Hey! That almost hit me!"

Charlie's head snapped up to Allison and she grimaced, "Sorry that was meant for Max."

"I just wanted to let you know that I was headed down to the mess," Allison's eyes strayed to the wild flames of hair on Charlie's head, "You trying out for a part in an anime?"

Charlie clamped her hands over her head, "Okay! I get it! My hair is a mess, I'm working on it!"

Elise suddenly sat up straight on the couch, "Oh no."

She pulled the blanket away from her person to see a dark spot in the crotch of her pants, "Goddammit!"

"Elise, did you piss yourself in your sleep…again?" Charlie called out from her room.

Elise sighed and stood up gingerly from the couch, "Yeah. Looks like Maxine prepared for it though. I guess she got tired of having to clean out pee from her couch."

"I'm not picking up that trash bag though," Maxine called out from the front door.

Elise groaned and carefully picked up the bag to take it to the trashcan.

"Bad luck, dude," Allison remarked as she walked out of the cabin, "Although, I can't say I miss being the bottom bunk."

Charlie stretched her back and called out to Elise, "Glad to know there's someone else having a bad morning."

When her back popped, Charlie let herself fall back on the bed and closed her eyes. When the jade eyes sparkled under her eyelids, Charlie growled, forced her eyes open, and hopped out of bed.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** Hello all! Here is the next chapter! Thank you to my beta awkward-like-grace from Tumblr for giving this a looksie.

Also I realized I never put a disclaimer. So four chapters in and I'm sure you guys already know I don't own anything except the characters that didn't show up or are mentioned in the film as well as the plot. You guys know how it goes.

**Chapter 4**

After showering and dressing in her Takota threads, Charlie tied a matching blue bandana over her head to keep her hair in place. She double-laced her sneakers before she set off at a brisk jog toward the mess hall. She got as far as the craft hut and Maxine's office before she had to stop and heave in air. Maxine walked out of her office with her arms crossed when she heard Charlie's coughs sound worse.

"Where are they?" Max asked.

"Where are what?" Charlie asked her expression pained as she continued to wheeze.

"Are you really going to act like you don't know what I'm talking about?" Max helped Charlie stand up straight and looked her in the eye, "I thought you quit."

Charlie coughed a couple more times, "I'm not smoking them every day anymore. Just when I'm stressed."

"Seems to me that there's been something stressing you since before you got here," Maxine settled next to Charlie against the building and looked out at the camp, "You want to talk about it?"

Charlie looked out at the camp too, but her gaze was far off. She was quiet for a few minutes before she forced air out of her nose, "My parents are just being real shitty toward my aunt for taking me in. She tries to keep it from me, but I can tell it's getting to her."

"You're parents are such dicks," Maxine shook her head, "I don't understand how you missed that gene, but I'm glad you did."

Charlie smirked, "Yeah, well, anyway…I'm fine. I don't have a pack on me, so you don't have to worry."

"I always worry," Maxine leaned her elbow on top of Charlie's head, "I've come to think of you as a weirdly-old child of mine."

Charlie laughed and stepped forward from Maxine's arm, "And I've come to think of you as a weirdly-young mom of mine."

"But the coolest and hippest mom, right?" Maxine widened her eyes and glared at Charlie.

"Oh, right, yeah," Charlie held up her hands, "No doubt. You are far out."

Maxine pursed her lips, "Mmhmm, get out of here. Shouldn't you be setting up the mess hall with a certain cutie who's 'nice on the eyes'?"

Charlie stuck her tongue out at Max and set back off toward the mess hall.

Maxine shouted out after her, "Hey, your words, not mine!"

Charlie reached the mess hall and walked in to find the tables and benches all set up. Charlie's eyebrows wrinkled as she stepped into the kitchen and found Allison, sitting on a stool and taking a break from the look of things.

"You already got everything set up out there?" Charlie pointed a thumb over her shoulder.

"Yeah, it's no big deal," Allison nodded, "Eli is here with a delivery if you wanted to go ahead and start bringing that in. I'm a bit winded from setting up the tables, but I'll help out in a moment."

"You wouldn't be so winded if you waited," Charlie scolded and walked out the back door to find a few boxes of fresh produce in Eli's truck bed.

As Charlie approached the back of the truck, she saw Eli and Elise in the truck.

When Elise leaned in for a kiss from Eli, Charlie started coughing obnoxiously.

"Get a room," Charlie said between coughs, and she walked up to Eli's side with a smile plastered on her face.

"Hey Charlie," Eli sighed and leaned back in his seat.

"Charlie," Elise leaned over Eli and stuck her head out of the window, "don't you have some, I don't know, fruits to peel?"

"Elise," Charlie mimicked Elise's tone, "the produce won't be cut until Drop Off Day. It won't stay fresh if we cut it today."

Elise stuck her hand out, flipped Charlie off, and used her hand to tap her middle finger against Charlie's nose.

"Then go take the produce in," Elise tapped her finger on Charlie's nose one last time before she sat back in her seat, "Eli and I were going to go out today since I don't have to set up the craft hut."

"Okay, I'll go get the boxes then," Charlie shrugged, then a mischievous grin formed, "Hey Eli, funny story this morning, Elise here woke up-"

Before Charlie could get out the events that happened, Elise practically leapt forward and covered Charlie's mouth with her hand.

"Charlie! Don't you have boxes to get?" Elise pulled her hand away when Charlie licked it, "Ew! You don't even know where my hand has been."

"Ugh, now I have really bad images in my head," Charlie covered her eyes and went to get a box of vegetables out the back of the truck.

"Well, can't say anything to that other than you should have thought before you licked," Elise's tone was sing-song. Charlie flipped Elise off before she hoisted a box of vegetables out of the truck.

"Charlie," Eli called out and Charlie turned around, "I included some of those herbs you wanted. They're in the smaller box back there."

"Great, thanks Eli," Charlie smiled and brought the box in the kitchen.

"Lovebirds at it?" Allison hopped off the stool and took the box from Charlie.

"Almost, but I came in and was all 'Cockblock!'" Charlie punched the air on the last word.

Allison laughed and started to sort out the vegetables, "How many other boxes are there?"

"Only two, I can grab them if you wanted to sort?" Charlie asked.

"I was getting ready to suggest that," Allison nodded, "Great minds much?"

Charlie shrugged and backed out of the kitchen to get the other two boxes. She hopped up in the truck bed to grab the last small box that had scooted toward the front of the truck.

Allison looked at the box in Charlie's hands as she went to stash it next to Maxine's fiber nuts, "Are those drugs?"

Charlie sighed deeply, "Why does everyone assume I have drugs?"

"Whoa, not assuming, only asking," Allison shook her hands, "No judging, dude."

"They're herbs," Charlie pulled down the box and opened it, "Sage, a little mint, and some spices like cinnamon. I like to make my own loose leaf teas."

"Huh, cool," Allison said, taking the box and pulling it to her nose to smell them, "So, Eli's been growing these for you?"

"More like giving me some," Charlie said, "He doesn't use them that much, but he has them planted just in case."

Allison nodded and gave the box back to Charlie, "I'll have to try a bit the next time you brew."

Charlie smirked, "Maxine likes to joke with the campers and say that it's my witches brew when I make it."

Allison laughed, "Yeah, well, you can't blame her for the jokes. Once Max gets to know you, they really are more endearing than anything."

"So I've noticed."

"You two seem pretty close. How did you two meet?"

"A mutual friend, you might remember her from when she came here to camp. Thora Aleksei?"

"Oh, yeah! She was a really nice girl."

"Yeah, I had that rough patch a few years back and Thora introduced me to Maxine and the camp, and Maxine was super desperate for a cook. When I first met Max she greeted me with a hug and asked if I was stupid because I offered her a handshake," Charlie's eyes crinkled as she laughed and smiled, "She looks out for me. Like _really_ looks out for me."

"I was wondering about the whole 'Mom' thing last night," Allison sorted the last of the produce and wiped her hands on her shirt, "Well I think we are officially set up. Just need to figure out the menu for tomorrow."

"I was thinking the standard Sloppy Joes, and your famous tots," Charlie leaned against the island countertop.

"And then maybe a fresh spring salad with plenty of toppings for our health?" Allison asked and wrote everything down on a notepad.

"Sounds good," Charlie stretched her arms over her head, "Should we plan for the day after now, too, or do you only plan them the day ahead?"

"Day ahead, so then I can see what I have to set aside for it," Allison set the pad and pen down, "This feels like it's almost too easy with two people."

Charlie crossed her arms, "I can always back off a bit in the kitchen if you wanted a bit more of a challenge."

"No, you're fine! I was only saying so because I really like having you," Allison's smile widened, "Dare I say it, we make a nice…'pear'?"

Charlie laughed as Allison held up a pear, "Elise warned me of the puns," she moved to the boxes of produce, "I told her not to worry about it though, puns are the 'radish'!"

"'Gouda' one!" Allison shook a block of cheese above the door of the open fridge.

The two girls then ravaged the kitchen, trying to find as many puns as they could. By the time they were down to last few things, there was food piled on every countertop.

"I don't know if I can get anymore puns," Allison sat across from Charlie on the floor around a box. She leaned forward and pulled out the last item, "I've 'beet' this to the ground."

"Guess you've 'beet' me then," Charlie pouted, and then her eyes shone, "I guess we're at our 'roots'?"

"Oh!" Allison started to bow at Charlie, "Okay, you got it. You are now crowned the pun-master of Takota."

"Woo!" Charlie stuck her arms over her head in victory, "How much time did we kill?"

"About two hours," Allison checked her watch, "I guess it's going to take about half an hour to get everything put back."

"Eh, it was worth it," Charlie stood up and brushed the back of her shorts.

"What the hell happened in here?" Maxine asked as she walked into the kitchen, "Did you guys take a full inventory or what?"

"We had a pun-off," Allison explained as she placed vegetables into a box, "But dammit! We could have killed two birds with one stone!"

Charlie just shrugged, "I was too distracted by the puns."

"Yeah, I'm sure that's _all_ that distracted you," Maxine murmured at Charlie and laughed.

"What?" Allison asked.

"Nothing," Charlie started to pick up the pace, the back of her neck was flushed.

Allison looked to Maxine for an explanation, and got a suggestive wink as a response. Allison's face began to burn, despite the smile that formed on her face. She didn't have to know what Max said, Max had picked up on Allison's attraction to the new girl. But Allison was sure that the attraction wasn't one-sided.

"Okay, well I guess I'll leave you guys to it," Maxine stepped out, but before she left she looked at Charlie, "Could you come by my office after you clean up here? We still need to talk."

Charlie nodded her expression solemn. She didn't exactly look forward to the meeting. It was only a dream, and it was inconsequential to anything. Charlie was over her ex, it had been almost three years. She never answered when Charlie tried to contact her.

Except there was the letter that showed up before she left for Takota. Charlie didn't smoke only because of her parents.

Melanie had contacted her. In handwritten form. At least, that's what Charlie thought. If Mel was going to contact her through snail mail, she would probably go all the way. She always went all the way with things. Charlie didn't even open the letter, only tucked it into her favorite book that was currently in her backpack in her cabin room.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: **This is a flashback chapter in order to get to know where Charlie is coming from and who she was (a lot can change in three years). I will state that there is some verbal abuse in this chapter, for those of you reading this and need a trigger warning. The next chapter may also be a flashback continuing from this one, I'm not sure yet.

As always, enjoy the story and the biggest thanks to my beta awkward-like-grace on Tumblr! This is my first fic that I've used a beta and all I can say is it is a great experience :D

P.S. To those of you who have favorited and followed this story on here, you are the best. Virtual cookies and hugs to you!

**Chapter 5**

**Three Years Ago - Floyds Knobs, IN**

Charlie killed the engine on Quinn and walked up to the front door of her parent's house. The house was a three story - if you included the basement - stone house with ornate wooden accents. Charlie loved the house as a whole, but it was never quite home the past few years. After she knocked and rang the doorbell a few times, she finally pulled her own key from her pocket and unlocked the door.

"Hello? Anyone home?" Charlie called out as she looked around the foyer of the house.

She ran a hand through her new haircut and put the key in the pocket of her jeans before she went downstairs to her bedroom. Sliding the backpack from her shoulders, she began packing shirts and jeans from her armoire. She only packed the clothing she truly cared about, mostly anything that was distressed, revealing, or both. After she had her clothing in the bag, she went to her bookshelf and pulled her witchy-woo books that her parents didn't get to from behind the stacks of books she could always buy anywhere. Once they were in her bag, she went to her underwear drawer, searched underneath the mess of attire until she found a little, white paper bag, and threw it into her bag as well. Charlie looked around the room to make sure she didn't need to take anything else, going over a check list in her head. The dark green walls were a soothing backdrop against the dark cherry of her furniture. She was about to head back upstairs when her eyes settled on her favorite book on the bookshelf. The worn edges and the spine of it was so creased you could hardly see the title, but Charlie knew exactly which book it was. She pulled the book down and looked at the front cover. She brushed her finger over the title _Tithe_ and the indented design of a pair of green-tinted faerie wings before she flipped through the age-spotted pages and released the aroma of an aged book. Sure, the book wasn't that old yet, but it was definitely old enough to have the decomposed scent on it. Torn between buying a new version and just taking that book, Charlie sat down on her bed and flipped the book's pages again. She turned the thought over and over again in her mind before she pulled her bag over and placed the book carefully on top of the other items in it. She zipped the bag closed and walked back up the stairs to find the door open and her parents in the foyer.

"Yes, I need to report a break-in. Female, about 5'4", Caucasian with blue-grey eyes and short red hair. Hurry, she's armed with a knife and extremely threatening toward us," her dad said into his cell phone before he hung up.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Charlie's eyes sparked and the muscles in her back tightened up.

"Honey, language," Charlie's mother tutted.

"No, you are not allowed to tell me what to do," Charlie pointed a finger at her, "You both kicked me out without a chance for me to pack up what I wanted to take with me. _And_ I did not break in, I had a key."

"But who would believe you?" Charlie's father asked, "With the way that you look? What kind of hairstyle is that?" He gestured at it, "Shaved on one side? You look ridiculous, and that color…"

He shook his head, disappointed, "You look like a red and blonde skunk." Charlie rubbed a hand over the shaved blonde portion of her hair self-consciously, her shoulders shrugged up, "Plus, you are armed. Unless that bump in your boot is your phone."

Charlie felt the blood drain from her face. She had totally forgotten that her parents knew about the Harpy she had on her at all times. Its use was cutting down natural items for rituals or whittling, but if she needed it for defense, she would use it.

"I can just leave; you don't need to do this," Charlie pleaded at them.

"And let you leave with what is sure to be your witchcraft?" her mother replied, "I don't think so."

"I came here for clothing, that was it," Charlie tried to keep the tears back, but a few of them escaped.

The faint sound of police sirens signaled out through the open door and Charlie bounded between her parents and out the door. She ignored her parent's yells and went straight to Quinn, swinging a leg over and gunning the engine before peeling out of the driveway. She took the back roads to Melanie's apartment, and once she arrived there, she went straight for the front door. There wasn't much time and she needed Mel to hide her bag.

"Charlie? What's wrong?" Mel's green eyes widened as Charlie shoved past her and stopped in the barren living room.

"My parents showed, called the cops," Charlie wiped at the tears in her eyes, "Look, I don't have that much time, I need to stash this here."

"What, why? If they are drugs I swear to god Charlie-."

"It's not drugs Mel! Jesus, you really think I would be trying to hide drugs here?"

"Then what is it?" Mel crossed her arms.

"Some clothes, a few books, and a pendulum," Charlie rattled off the list, "I can't have my parents get this. They already burned and threw away the other books I had on Wicca."

"Fine," Mel took the bag from Charlie.

"Thank you," Charlie stood on her tiptoes, took Mel's face in her hands and kissed her.

At the sound of sirens, Mel pulled back, "You lead them here?!"

"I just need this stuff put away for now, please," Charlie looked into Mel's bright green eyes, "I will only be charged for breaking and entering, and probably resisting arrest, but this is the first time I've ever been charged. They will go easy on me and I will be back here before you know it. We'll figure something out from there, okay? Just go ahead and get the moving truck set up so we can head straight for our house."

Mel gazed into Charlie's stormy blue eyes and nodded. Charlie nodded back and pecked her on the lips again before she went for the front door.

"Charlotte Mallory, you are under arrest for armed burglary and fleeing the scene," a voice announced through a megaphone, "Put your hands over your head and get down on your knees."

Charlie did as was told and the two men still tackled her down when they went to restrain her. After they Mirandized her and she complained that the cuffs were too tight, they led her to the car and helped her get in.

"Ma'am, are you Melanie Cohen?" an officer asked as he approached Mel at her door with notebook in hand.

"Yes," Mel crossed her arms.

"What is your relationship with Charlotte Mallory, if there is any?"

"She's my girlfriend."

The officer paused and licked his lips, "You and Ms. Mallory are in a physical relationship?"

"Yes, would you like me to go into detail?" Mel snapped at him.

"No, that won't be needed," the officer seemed to shrivel into himself, "Can you tell me what she did when she got here?"

"She just wanted to let me know what was going on before you guys came to get her," Mel leaned her head against the doorframe.

"And what was going on exactly?"

"She went to her parent's house to grab some clothes because she was running low and they wouldn't let her pack anything when they kicked her out."

"Did she say how she was going to get in the house?"

"She was going to knock, and if that didn't work, she would use her key."

"She has a key to the house?"

"Yep," Mel popped the ending of the word with her lips.

"Do you know why her parent's kicked her out in the first place?"

"Yeah, her parent's found out that she was dabbling in another religion, and when they confronted her about it, she told them about how she liked women."

"What religion was she 'dabbling' in?"

"Is it relevant to the investigation?" Mel arched an eyebrow.

"It could be," the officer looked back at the car that started to head out with Charlie.

"She was reading into Wicca."

"Wicca?"

Mel sighed, "Paganism? It's like witchcraft, but it's all about doing no harm to others that wouldn't harm you or something."

The officer looked duped, "We don't really get that around here."

"Uh, duh! We're in the middle of the Bible Belt."

"Are you also in the…the witchcraft thing?"

"Nah, I'm an agnostic. I don't know what to believe," Mel answered as she tucked a lock of russet brown hair behind her ear, "Are we almost done here?"

"Yes, Ms. Cohen, just one more thing," the officer looked over his notebook, "Did Ms. Mallory come here with anything?"

"Just a bag of clothes," Mel said, "I've got it here if you want to go through it."

"If you would," the officer held a hand out and Mel handed him the bag, "Thank you Ms. Cohen, if you have anything else you would like to tell me, here is my card. Give me a call."

"No problem, Officer," Mel squinted at the card, "Ravel."

Officer Ravel nodded and headed to his squad car. Mel closed the door and tossed the card on the kitchen table before she headed back to her bedroom. There on her bed was a pile of books and the little paper bag. Mel picked up the worn copy of _Tithe _and settled down on her bed to read it.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N:** Here is the second part of the flashback. Hope you all are enjoying this! Feel free to leave a review if you'd like.

Thanks to my Tumblr-ite beta awkward-like-grace!

**Four Days Later**

Charlie's head was on the table in front of her as the judge was going over the convictions and evidence. She ran her hands through the back of her hair where it was shortest. She could not wait to get back to Mel's, take a shower, and just sleep in a real bed. Four days in a jail cell wasn't horrible, but Charlie's nerves wouldn't let her sleep well.

"Alright Ms. Mallory," Judge Michael Fraser shuffled the papers in front of him and Charlie rose her head, "I'm going to let you go. It is evident that although you had a knife on you, there was no actual harm done. You haven't been charged before and you also didn't take anything that didn't belong to you. As for the breaking and entering, the fact that you had your own key is enough to show that you didn't go there for any other purpose than to get some of your things. However, you did run from the police, so I feel that five years of community service will be enough punishment for that."

"Your honor," the prosecutor stood up, "What about the trauma she placed on her parents? She could have easily come back to the house when someone was home."

"From what I've seen and heard, it sounds like her parents didn't want anything to do with her," Judge Fraser linked his fingers together, "So she decided to slip in and out to prevent any type of confrontation or prevent any stress on either party. Is that correct, Ms. Mallory?"

"Most of it, your honor," Charlie answered and slipped her hands under her thighs, "I didn't want to go back when I was already there and had a key. I didn't realize my parents would overreact the way they did when they came home. If I would have known they would have reacted the way they did, I would have come back at another time when they were home and put up with the stress it would have caused."

Judge Fraser nodded, "Well, you will have a probation officer help you find somewhere to work out for the five years. She will also check in on you while you work and while you are at your residence to make sure you are indeed working as well as keeping out of trouble."

"Thank you, your honor," Charlie nodded and let out a breath slowly. She was supremely lucky that she had gotten off with only five years of service. Sure five years seems like it's quite a bit, but it could have been way worse.

"This court is dismissed," Judge Fraser raised the gavel and struck it down. When everyone was shuffling out, a woman in uniform approached Charlie.

"Ms. Mallory, I'm Officer Thora Aleksei, I'll be your probation officer," she stuck her hand out and Charlie shook it. Thora's eyes were a clear grey like the sky before it starts raining and she had ash blonde hair tied back in a small ponytail.

"Hi, call me Charlie, we'll be associating with each other for quite a bit I'd imagine," Charlie smiled her half grin.

"Then feel free to call me Thora," Thora smiled back and let go of Charlie's hand, "Listen, do you do well with kids?"

"Yeah, kids and I get along great," Charlie nodded.

"Great, what about cooking? You good at anything that could be a camp activity?"

"I've worked in local restaurants quite a bit," Charlie's eyebrows creased together, "I also do archery and fencing as hobbies. Why?"

"I've got a friend who runs a camp up in Michigan," Thora explained breathlessly, "I think you would be a great fit."

"Is it year-long?" Charlie asked, "I've been accepted into a doctorate program in Minnesota. I was planning on moving up there pretty soon."

"No, it's only summer, but every summer you work there will count as a year," Thora walked out of the courthouse with Charlie.

When they got to Charlie's bike, Mel was already standing there with Charlie's jacket and helmet.

"Uh, yeah, that would work perfectly," Charlie faced Thora, "Tell your friend I would be honored."

Thora smiled and nodded, "You'll be hearing from a Maxine Reynolds pretty soon then. From what she's told me, she's desperate."

Charlie shook hands with Thora and smiled, "I look forward to it."

"Make sure you send me the address you will be moving to so I can have it on record," Thora said.

"Will do, Thora," Charlie threw a salute at her before she walked over to Mel.

"Five years of community service, huh?" Mel helped Charlie with her jacket.

"Yeah, sounds like it won't be too bad though," Charlie slipped her helmet on, "Do you have everything ready to go?"

"The moving truck will be here tomorrow," Mel put on her own helmet, "Charlie, we need to talk."

"Can we talk when we get to your place?" Charlie swung a leg over her bike, "I'd like to shower and change."

Mel sighed and settled down behind Charlie. As soon as Mel's arms tightened around Charlie's middle, she started up the bike.

Thora watched from her car as Charlie sped off on her bike, "Yeah, her name's Charlie. It sounds like she's just had a patch of bad luck, but I think you two would get along great, Max."

**Mel's Apartment**

As soon as Charlie was out of the shower, she started on a sandwich. She toasted the bread, cut a slice of tomato and onion, pried a leaf of lettuce off the iceberg head, and got the pepper jack cheese, roast beef, and pesto out. When she had her sandwich made and cut in diagonal halves, she went to the bedroom and settled herself down on the left side of the bed. Mel walked in the apartment with a handful of mail and set it down on the kitchen table before she went to her bedroom.

Charlie looked up to see Mel with her arms crossed and against the doorframe, "Oh yeah, you wanted to talk."

"Yeah," Mel took the three steps and slid onto the bed to sit next to Charlie. When she leaned against the headboard, she laid her head on Charlie's shoulder, "Char, how long have we been together?"

"You mean before or after we realized we had the hots for each other?" Charlie asked between bites.

Mel was silent, thinking it over, "Before."

Charlie chewed her bite before she answered, "Almost ten years, if you wanted to count the two years we've been dating."

"That's a pretty long time in general, right?"

Charlie slowly took another bite of her sandwich, but it felt like cardboard in her mouth, "Mel, what's up?"

Mel sat up and turned around to face Charlie on the bed. She then took the plate with the uneaten half of the sandwich from Charlie's lap and set it on the nightstand, Charlie was about to complain until Mel tucked herself in Charlie's lap.

Before Charlie could say anything, Mel held a small box in her face. Charlie took it from her and opened it to find a ring. Charlie froze, and when Mel didn't move, she shut the box, placed it down on the right side of the bed, and cuddled Mel to her chest.

"So," Mel asked, rubbing her cheek against Charlie's arm, "What's your answer?"

Charlie rested her forehead on Mel's shoulder, "I think it's moving a little fast. Two years is a while, sure, but it's still pretty short compared to our friendship of eight years."

"What's your point, Charlie?" Mel breathed out sharply.

"We know we work really well as friends, but we're still figuring out if we work as a couple," Charlie explained, "I'm the first girl you've been with in a relationship, and you're my first relationship ever. I just don't think we should rush things right now."

Mel broke out of the cuddle and snatched the box up from the bed.

Charlie reached out for her, "Mel, come on, I've got a lot going on right now."

"You have a lot going on?" Mel turned, her eyes filling with tears, "I'm uprooting my life here to move to another state where I don't know _any_one!"

Charlie stood up from the bed, "'Uprooting'? You told me you wanted a change of view! I only asked if you wanted to come with me because I thought you were interested. I could have easily lived with my aunt and you could visit. Why didn't you just tell me you didn't want to move?"

Mel wiped at her eyes and crossed her arms, "You wouldn't have taken that so easily."

"The hell I wouldn't," Charlie exclaimed, "I am perfectly fine on my own. I don't need to see you all the time."

Mel glared at Charlie.

"Okay, that sounded bad," Charlie scratched at the back of her neck, "It's not that I don't need to see you all the time…I just…I want to."

Mel's eyes softened and she was silent for a while before she swayed over to Charlie and kissed her.

"Does this mean I'm forgiven and we're on the same page?" Charlie asked breathlessly.

Mel didn't say anything, she just started to remove Charlie's clothing one by one. Charlie was used to Mel taking the lead, and followed suit when she could and they ended up in a tangle on the bed; the sandwich long forgotten.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N:** Hi everyone! Sorry I've dropped off the face of the planet. With college having started back, I've been crammed into quite the busy schedule. For the most part, I've been trying to write when I can and when I've got the inspiration to because otherwise I feel like the story (and plot) declines when I don't feel that need to write.

As always, thanks to my amazing beta awkward-like-grace on Tumblr. She's a peach :D

**Chapter 7**

Charlie made sure everything was in tip-top shape before she left Allison to go to Maxine's office. She knocked before she opened the door and closed it behind her.

"Hey Max, you wanted to see me?" Charlie tried to stave off a yawn, but to no avail.

"You can't tell me you are already tired out, Charles," Max said, pouring a glass of scotch, "You'll have to do better in order to keep up with the campers. Come on over here and sit, have some scotch, talk with your parole officer…you know, girl stuff."

"Thora?" Charlie looked around Max to find Thora, sitting on a stool and sipping at her own glass of scotch.

Thora made a disgusted face before she set her glass down, "God Max, I never understood how you could drink this. Hey Charlie, how have you been?"

"Don't you already know?" Charlie smirked and sat on the stool Maxine pulled over for her.

"I see your grades dropped a bit at the end of last semester," Thora rubbed her hands together.

"Just stress," Charlie waved a hand at Max's mixed expression of anger and slight pain, "Grad school is hard enough on its own, but my parents were being a pain."

"I thought you threatened them with a restraining order if they didn't stop contacting you," Thora asked, her grey eyes full of concern.

"They aren't contacting me. I found out recently that they've been calling up my aunt to chat, and their questions always corner her about me, and she pretty much won't tell them anything. She's doesn't feel guilty anymore hanging up on them when they pull that, and sometimes they try calling again, but she won't answer. My parents are pretty abusive with their words though, and I can tell it's beginning to get to her."

"Dicks," Max muttered in her glass.

"Why does your aunt keep answering the phone when they call then?" Thora asked.

"She believes that they will change at some point," Charlie shook her head, "I don't doubt it, but I don't think they'll be changing any time soon."

Thora nodded solemnly. Maxine drained the rest of her scotch before she set her glass down and clapped her hands together.

"Okay, let's change the topic. It's Takota's 60th birthday and we will be hosting the tournament against Camp Adder."

"Adder? I think I've heard of them," Thora's eyebrows knitted together.

"Yeah, they gained popularity recently for integrating computer-based activities or some bullshit," Maxine said, "It sounds like Jared's wet dream if you ask me."

"Nah, I'm pretty sure that would be a camp that is underground and surrounded by technology," Charlie leered. Max raised her empty glass to clink against Charlie's in a salute.

"So what does the tournament entail?" Thora leaned forward, "I don't remember there being anything like that when we were here as kids."

"It only happens, like, every ten years or something," Max explained, "Or really, Sally only participated the camp in it when she felt like it. She felt that the competition was too bloodthirsty."

"And you have no problem with it?"

"Are you kidding me? Takota is the best damn camp around! We need to show that," Max's blue eyes glittered, "With Charlie here, we were able to add two new rounds. The campers who have been in her class and who have been adept at it are going to be our champs."

"I guess archery and fencing really took off, huh?" Thora asked Charlie.

Charlie rubbed the back of her neck, "Uh, yeah. They did, but I think it also goes to Max a bit. She helped by adding a costume last year."

Max patted Charlie's knee, "No problem, kiddo. But I can only do so much, you really pull off tights well."

Thora muffled her snort, "Sorry, but I cannot see Charlie in tights."

"You should see the costume I got for her this year," Max laughed.

Charlie laughed along and then froze, "Wait, what?"

"Nevermind, you'll find out soon enough," Maxine turned to face Thora, "You said you got something for me?"

"Yes," Thora leaned over and pulled up a black leather briefcase. She unzipped it and pulled out a pack of papers, "I've got updates on Charlie's file here."

"Holy shit, is it large enough?" Charlie reached over and flipped the pages. The file had to be at least several inches thick, "And those are just the updates?"

"Well, we've been keeping tags on your parents - there's an interview with them, by the way," Thora leafed through the papers and pulled out a couple that were stapled together.

"'How to Tell if Your Child is Worshipping Satan'?" Charlie shouted, "Sorry, but what the hell? If they even read a page of any of my books before they ruined them they would see that how they worship was stolen from what I believe!"

Charlie got up from her seat and began to pace, "I just can't believe it. I knew my parents were pretty stiff in their ideas, but I thought they were a little open to reality."

"Hey Charlie? Before you wear a path in my office, you might want to read the section where they bash on your ex," Maxine skimmed over the article, "I guess they didn't get the memo that you and your childhood friend broke up."

"'The fact that our daughter got caught up in witchcraft is the reason why she turned a great, young woman who we've all known for years into a lesbian. Poor Melanie was so confused, but she must have been a little curious as to why her friend was so entranced with it. That's how it gets you-' oh this is such horseshit," Charlie tossed the papers on Max's desk.

Maxine picked them up and scanned the rest of the article, "Boy, I had a feeling your parents were nuts, but this was beyond what I thought."

"There are also a few updates concerning Melanie in here," Thora patted the file after she set it on Maxine's desk, "I've got to get going though. Do you have your time sheet?"

"Yeah," Charlie walked over to Maxine's filing cabinet and pulled open the top drawer. She rifled through until she reached her file and took out her time sheet.

Thora wrote the date and initialed it before she handed it back, "I'll be back after the summer is over, blah blah blah, I know you aren't going anywhere but the bureaucrats are making me say this. You get it."

Charlie smiled after she closed the drawer, "Yeah, I got it."

"You're halfway there," Thora gave Charlie a big hug before she turned to Maxine to do the same for her, "Thanks for the scotch Max, even though I don't like it."

"Well, I suppose whiskey is more fitting for a woman in a police uniform," Maxine returned the hug, "Take care of yourself, and you can always visit, you know."

"Yeah, I don't expect my five years to end, and you never come by," Charlie slapped a hand on Thora's shoulder, "Not every call has to be business."

"I know, it's just hard with Big Brother staring over your shoulder," Thora sighed, "Can't let them think I'm giving you favoritism or anything."

"A.K.A. Treating me with respect," Charlie opened the door and walked out after Thora, "I'll see you later Max, I'm going to go take me a nap."

"Okay, but remember, you won't get to do that when-"

"-when the campers come, I know, I know," Charlie rolled her eyes.

"Make sure she doesn't let her camp pride take over too much," Thora laughed as she walked back to her car.

"I can't promise anything, but I'll try!" Charlie yelled over her shoulder, "See you around, Thora!"

"See ya Charlie!"

"Whoa, check out Thora's new digs," Charlie turned around to see Allison.

"Yeah, she's got a job as a correctional officer," Charlie explained, she sidestepped around Allison to head back to the cabin, "I'm wiped. I'm going back to the cabin for a nap. See you later?"

"Yeah, sure," Allison's eyebrows crumpled together as she looked from Thora's car when it departed. In the corner of her eye, a flash of red caught her attention. Allison looked to see Maxine in the window of her office, watching the exchange between her and Charlie. Allison rose her hand in a little wave and Max waved back, but her expression was still stern. Like a mother hen watching over her chick.

Allison's eyebrows scrunched even closer together when she made her way to the garden sheds. Chet was next door in the repair hut, attempting to clean up, but it seemed more like a pile of anything that was in the hut was moved to the outside regardless if it needed to stay.

"Hey Allison," he nodded at Allison and dropped a pile of cardboard on top of the pile.

"Hey Chet," she replied and picked up a flattened box, "Hey, do you think I could use this? It would make carrying the gardening tools over to the craft hut way easier."

Chet sniffed and rubbed his hand under his nose before he shrugged, "Sure."

"Thanks," Allison smiled and walked into the garden shed. She made sure the cardboard was bent down in the bottom to where it wouldn't fall out and drop its contents on her feet before she started to grab various tools from the wall.

After she stepped out of the shed with the box in her arms, she turned to Chet, "Hey, Chet? Was Maxine a little stressed this morning?"

Chet dropped an empty toolbox on the pile and threw a handful of tools on top before he stared off into the distance. Allison looked expectantly at him and she could almost hear the cogs twist, but not really connect in his head.

"Not that I can think of," he scratched his head under his hat, "She's usually stressed around this time."

Allison just nodded and said thanks when she walked back to the craft hut. Elise was there, putting up a banner to welcome back campers.

Allison let the box thud down on the table, which created a series of clinks. Elise turned around at the sound and then went back to the banner when she saw it was Allison.

"Why do you look so grumpy?" she asked, tying the string to hold the other side of the banner up.

"Has Max seemed a little more stressed lately? Like Charlie-wise?"

"Max is always a little stressed when it comes to Charlie," Elise stepped back to admire her work, hands at her sides, "She's like a mother hen after her little chick when it's first hatched."

Allison nodded, "Why is she like that toward Charlie? I mean, she's like that to us, but not to the extent she is with Charlie."

"Charlie's had a bit of a rough time when she first started out here. That's all I'm going to tell you because the rest is her business."

Elise put a hand on Allison's shoulder and slightly shook it, "I wouldn't worry too much about it. I'm sure Charlie will tell you when she feels ready, it took her about a month before she told me about it."

Allison just nodded and went to sort the tools out after Elise left the hut.

The three days went by quickly and thanks to Penny's added help, the camp was more than ready for the campers on drop-off day.

Allison and Charlie worked most of their day in the kitchen and didn't talk much outside of what to prepare next and where something was in the kitchen if it was initially misplaced. By the time they were done with food, they almost couldn't walk back to the cabin at the end of the day from the exhaustion. By the time they got into the routine, Allison would leave the kitchen to go to her gardening class.

Maxine checked the sign-in sheet to find that this summer was one of Takota's largest since she became the camp manager. She made sure the permission slips were sent to the parents for each kid who signed up for Charlie's archery and fencing classes. Not only were the slips necessary for liability issues, but it gave Maxine a way to show that Charlie was at the camp and the kids loved her to the legal system. Until they were sent back, Charlie wouldn't be able to start her activities, and it could take at least a month before they were in.

Charlie was content with the time. It gave her a chance to hang out with Allison after they served meals and just talked. She couldn't remember the last time she had ever done that with someone she liked as much as she liked Allison. With Mel, there wasn't much discovery of each other outside of sex. Even when they were just friends, Mel wouldn't tell Charlie what was on her mind for the most part, and when they got together, Charlie would have to push Mel to tell her things and Charlie didn't personally like that. She also knew Mel would lie to her at times just so Charlie would leave her alone.

Another month passed before Maxine gave Charlie the green light on her activities. Charlie would teach on Tuesdays and Thursdays right after breakfast was served. The girls who would show the best potential would work with Charlie after lunch two weeks before the tournament against Adder.

After breakfast was served on the first Tuesday, Charlie slipped out and raced to get ready for her first archery class. Maxine had also personally radioed Charlie to tell her she needed to go to her cabin room and change into the new costume she put in there.

When Charlie got into her room and saw the article of clothing her only response was, "You've got to be joking, Max."


End file.
